🕷️ Crawler Inspector

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Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 163 (from laksa121)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa163.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/trump-chris-columbus-home-alone-2-20274381.php\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/trump-chris-columbus-home-alone-2-20274381.php\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/article\/trump-chris-columbus-home-alone-2-20274381.php","crawl_time":1776029378,"first_indexed_time":1744730897,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,sfchronicle!www,\/entertainment\/article\/trump-chris-columbus-home-alone-2-20274381.php s443","src_root_hash":"14097438092688553363","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"‘Home Alone 2’ director says Trump cameo has ‘become this curse’","meta_descriptions":["‘Home Alone 2’ director Chris Columbus says Donald Trump cameo has ‘become this curse’; filmmaker says he intended to cut the scene, and wishes he had."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Actors Susan Anton, from left, Keith Carradine, Macaulay Culkin stand next to Donald Trump attend Fountain of Peace Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 5, 1991, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel, appeared with Culkin in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” \nRon Galella\/Ron Galella Collection via Getty\nSan Francisco filmmaker \nChris Columbus\nsaid\nDonald Trump’s\ncameo in “\nHome Alone 2: Lost in New York\n” more than 30 years ago has been “an albatross for me” and “wishes it was gone.”\n“I can’t cut it,” the San Francisco resident told the Chronicle in a recent interview. “If I cut it, I’ll probably be sent out of the country. I’ll be considered sort of not fit to live in the United States, so I’ll have to go back to Italy or something.”\nOf course, Columbus — born and raised in the United States, with Italian ancestry — was sarcastically referring to the Trump administration’s mass deportations plans.\nArticle continues below this ad\nIn the seven-second cameo in the 1992 box office hit, the future president gives star\nMacaulay Culkin\ndirections in New York’s famed Plaza Hotel, which Trump, then known only as a flamboyant Manhattan real-estate tycoon, owned at the time.\nColumbus’ original family comedy “\nHome Alone\n” (1990) starred Culkin as Kevin McCallister, a 10-year-old who fends off home invaders after his parents accidentally leave him alone at Christmas. The movie, which cost $18 million to make and was filmed in Chicago, was the filmmaker’s first big hit as a director, pulling in more than $475 million.\nBefore beginning work on the San Francisco-shot “\nMrs. Doubtfire\n,” Columbus was tapped to direct the “Home Alone” sequel, which has Kevin parentless in the Big Apple. Columbus said Trump only agreed to let the production film at the Plaza if he could get some screen time.\nSan Francisco Chronicle Logo\nMake us a Preferred Source to get more of our news when you search.\nAdd Preferred Source\n“We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie,” Columbus told\nBusiness Insider\nin 2020 in an article commemorating the film’s 30th anniversary.\nArticle continues below this ad\nThree years later, Trump apparently got wind of Columbus’ quote, and posted on Truth Social in 2023 that Columbus was “begging” him to appear in the film.\n“I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it,” Trump wrote. “They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history! That little cameo took off like a rocket, and the movie was a big success, and still is, especially around Christmas time. People call me whenever it is aired. Now, however, 30 years later, Columbus (what was his real name?) put out a statement that I bullied myself into the movie. Nothing could be further from the truth. That cameo helped make the movie a success … Just another Hollywood guy from the past looking for a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself!”\nColumbus didn’t immediately respond to Trump’s post at the time, but now tells the Chronicle he had intended to cut the cameo, and wishes he had.\nChris Columbus on the red carpet before SFFilm Awards at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in December 2021. The director says Plaza Hotel owner Donald Trump only allowed him to use the location for “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” if the real estate tycoon was put in the movie. \nScott Strazzante\/S.F. Chronicle\n“We screened the film in Chicago, and when that moment came onscreen the audience went crazy,” Columbus recalled. “They cheered and they cheered and they thought it was hilarious. I think I know a lot about comedy, but I don’t, obviously, because I never thought that was going to be considered hilarious.\nArticle continues below this ad\n“Years later, it’s become this curse. It’s become this thing that I wish it was not there. What’s going through this guy’s mind? He said I was lying. I’m not lying. He said I begged him to be in the movie, but there’s no world I would ever beg a non-actor to be in a movie. But we were desperate to get the Plaza Hotel.”\nColumbus paused for a moment before continuing.\n“But it’s there. It’s become an albatross for me. I just wish it was gone.”\nNevertheless, “Home Alone 2” was another smash hit, earning nearly $360 million against a $28 million budget.\nDatebook Picks\nColumbus would go on to have a rich and varied career as a director, including the first two\nHarry Potter films\n, and producer, including Robert Eggers’ 2024 remake of the vampire classic “\nNosferatu\n.”\nArticle continues below this ad\nHe is scheduled to be the subject of a tribute at the\n68th San Francisco International Film Festival\non April 26.  \nReach G. Allen Johnson:\najohnson@sfchronicle.com\nApril 14, 2025\nStaff Writer\nG. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.","attrs_markdown":"San Francisco Chronicle Logo\n\nHearst Newspapers Logo\n\n[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/article\/trump-chris-columbus-home-alone-2-20274381.php#content)\n\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/hamburgerbutton)\n\n[Bay Area](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/bayarea\/)\n\n- [San Francisco](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/sf\/)\n- [Transit](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/transit\/)\n- [Crime](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/crime\/)\n- [Drug Crisis](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/opioid-epidemic\/)\n- [Golden Gate Park](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/goldengatepark\/)\n- [COVID-19](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/health\/coronavirus\/)\n- [Health](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/health\/)\n- [Data Spotlight](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/data\/)\n- [PG\\&E](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/pge\/)\n- [Season of Sharing](https:\/\/seasonofsharing.org\/)\n- [Housing 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Allen Johnson](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/author\/g-allen-johnson\/), Staff Writer\n\nApril 14, 2025\n\n![Actors Susan Anton, from left, Keith Carradine, Macaulay Culkin stand next to Donald Trump attend Fountain of Peace Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 5, 1991, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel, appeared with Culkin in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” ]()\n\nActors Susan Anton, from left, Keith Carradine, Macaulay Culkin stand next to Donald Trump attend Fountain of Peace Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 5, 1991, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel, appeared with Culkin in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.”\n\nRon Galella\/Ron Galella Collection via Getty\n\nSan Francisco filmmaker [Chris Columbus](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/article\/sffilm-festival-chris-columbus-20230848.php) said [Donald Trump’s](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/donald-trump\/) cameo in “[Home Alone 2: Lost in New York](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/article\/actor-home-alone-2-convicted-34-19487134.php)” more than 30 years ago has been “an albatross for me” and “wishes it was gone.”\n\n“I can’t cut it,” the San Francisco resident told the Chronicle in a recent interview. “If I cut it, I’ll probably be sent out of the country. I’ll be considered sort of not fit to live in the United States, so I’ll have to go back to Italy or something.”\n\nOf course, Columbus — born and raised in the United States, with Italian ancestry — was sarcastically referring to the Trump administration’s mass deportations plans.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\nIn the seven-second cameo in the 1992 box office hit, the future president gives star [Macaulay Culkin](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/article\/Macaulay-Culkin-Reprises-Home-Alone-6705296.php) directions in New York’s famed Plaza Hotel, which Trump, then known only as a flamboyant Manhattan real-estate tycoon, owned at the time.\n\nColumbus’ original family comedy “[Home Alone](https:\/\/datebook.sfchronicle.com\/movies-tv\/library-of-congress-film-18547555?_gl=1*6kpj52*_gcl_au*NjQ5NzA0NTQwLjE3Mzc3NDEwODY.*_ga*MTk5NTUxNzc5Ny4xNzE1NjQxNTIz*_ga_56G0ZT3ZD0*MTc0NDYwNTQ4Mi4xNjcuMS4xNzQ0NjA2ODE3LjAuMC4w)” (1990) starred Culkin as Kevin McCallister, a 10-year-old who fends off home invaders after his parents accidentally leave him alone at Christmas. The movie, which cost \\$18 million to make and was filmed in Chicago, was the filmmaker’s first big hit as a director, pulling in more than \\$475 million.\n\nBefore beginning work on the San Francisco-shot “[Mrs. Doubtfire](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/movies\/article\/Mrs-Doubtfire-at-25-Is-it-the-best-Robin-12525580.php),” Columbus was tapped to direct the “Home Alone” sequel, which has Kevin parentless in the Big Apple. Columbus said Trump only agreed to let the production film at the Plaza if he could get some screen time.\n\nSan Francisco Chronicle Logo\n\n### See more S.F. Chronicle on Google\nMake us a Preferred Source to get more of our news when you search.\n\n[Add Preferred Source](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=sfchronicle.com)\n\n“We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie,” Columbus told [Business Insider](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/home-alone-30-anniversary-chris-columbus-trump-cameo-2020-11) in 2020 in an article commemorating the film’s 30th anniversary.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\nThree years later, Trump apparently got wind of Columbus’ quote, and posted on Truth Social in 2023 that Columbus was “begging” him to appear in the film.\n\n“I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it,” Trump wrote. “They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history! That little cameo took off like a rocket, and the movie was a big success, and still is, especially around Christmas time. People call me whenever it is aired. Now, however, 30 years later, Columbus (what was his real name?) put out a statement that I bullied myself into the movie. Nothing could be further from the truth. That cameo helped make the movie a success … Just another Hollywood guy from the past looking for a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself!”\n\nColumbus didn’t immediately respond to Trump’s post at the time, but now tells the Chronicle he had intended to cut the cameo, and wishes he had.\n\n![Chris Columbus on the red carpet before SFFilm Awards at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in December 2021. The director says Plaza Hotel owner Donald Trump only allowed him to use the location for “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” if the real estate tycoon was put in the movie. ]()\n\nChris Columbus on the red carpet before SFFilm Awards at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in December 2021. The director says Plaza Hotel owner Donald Trump only allowed him to use the location for “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” if the real estate tycoon was put in the movie.\n\nScott Strazzante\/S.F. Chronicle\n\n“We screened the film in Chicago, and when that moment came onscreen the audience went crazy,” Columbus recalled. “They cheered and they cheered and they thought it was hilarious. I think I know a lot about comedy, but I don’t, obviously, because I never thought that was going to be considered hilarious.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\n“Years later, it’s become this curse. It’s become this thing that I wish it was not there. What’s going through this guy’s mind? He said I was lying. I’m not lying. He said I begged him to be in the movie, but there’s no world I would ever beg a non-actor to be in a movie. But we were desperate to get the Plaza Hotel.”\n\nColumbus paused for a moment before continuing.\n\n“But it’s there. It’s become an albatross for me. I just wish it was gone.”\n\nNevertheless, “Home Alone 2” was another smash hit, earning nearly \\$360 million against a \\$28 million budget.\n\nDatebook Picks\n\n[![The San Francisco Art Fair returns Thursday-Sunday, April 16-19, at Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion.]()](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/arts-exhibits\/article\/san-francisco-art-fair-aapi-22196396.php)\n\n[Arts & Exhibits](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/arts-exhibits\/)\n\n[A major San Francisco art fair is back at Fort Mason. Here’s what to know](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/arts-exhibits\/article\/san-francisco-art-fair-aapi-22196396.php)\n\n[![Braeden Harris as T.J., left, and Storm White as Jane in San Jose Stage Company’s “The Coast Starlight.”]()](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/theater\/article\/coast-starlight-san-jose-stage-22196544.php)\n\n[Theater](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/theater\/)\n\n[‘The Coast Starlight’ is a Bay Area theater ride worth taking](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/theater\/article\/coast-starlight-san-jose-stage-22196544.php)\n\n[![Janelle James is scheduled to perform four shows at Cobb’s Comedy Club in San Francisco.]()](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/comedy\/article\/janelle-james-sf-22156395.php)\n\nComedy\n\n[‘Abbott Elementary’ star returns to stand-up roots in San Francisco](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/comedy\/article\/janelle-james-sf-22156395.php)\n\nColumbus would go on to have a rich and varied career as a director, including the first two [Harry Potter films](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/article\/chris-columbus-and-harry-potter-split-after-3-2769553.php), and producer, including Robert Eggers’ 2024 remake of the vampire classic “[Nosferatu](https:\/\/datebook.sfchronicle.com\/movies-tv\/robert-eggers-nosferatu-review-19986786?_gl=1*1pwekge*_gcl_au*NjQ5NzA0NTQwLjE3Mzc3NDEwODY.*_ga*MTk5NTUxNzc5Ny4xNzE1NjQxNTIz*_ga_56G0ZT3ZD0*MTc0NDYwNTQ4Mi4xNjcuMS4xNzQ0NjA3MTQyLjAuMC4w).”\n\nAdvertisement\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\nHe is scheduled to be the subject of a tribute at the [68th San Francisco International Film Festival](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/article\/sf-international-film-festival-20257823.php) on April 26.\n\n*Reach G. Allen Johnson:* [*ajohnson@sfchronicle.com*](mailto:ajohnson@sfchronicle.com)\n\nApril 14, 2025\n\n![Photo of G. Allen Johnson]()\n\n[G. Allen Johnson](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/author\/g-allen-johnson\/)\n\nStaff Writer\n\nG. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.\n\nMost Popular\n\n1\\.\n\n[Ex-staffer says Eric Swalwell, candidate for California governor, sexually assaulted her](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/politics\/article\/eric-swalwell-allegations-22198271.php)\n\n2\\.\n\n[Trump fires entire San Francisco Presidio Trust board, all Biden appointees](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/sf\/article\/presidio-board-fired-trump-22198432.php)\n\n3\\.\n\n[The race for California governor was already a mess for Democrats. 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Ads)](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/yourdata\/)","attrs_readable_markdown":"![Actors Susan Anton, from left, Keith Carradine, Macaulay Culkin stand next to Donald Trump attend Fountain of Peace Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 5, 1991, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel, appeared with Culkin in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” ]()\n\nActors Susan Anton, from left, Keith Carradine, Macaulay Culkin stand next to Donald Trump attend Fountain of Peace Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 5, 1991, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel, appeared with Culkin in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.”\n\nRon Galella\/Ron Galella Collection via Getty\n\nSan Francisco filmmaker [Chris Columbus](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/article\/sffilm-festival-chris-columbus-20230848.php) said [Donald Trump’s](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/donald-trump\/) cameo in “[Home Alone 2: Lost in New York](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/article\/actor-home-alone-2-convicted-34-19487134.php)” more than 30 years ago has been “an albatross for me” and “wishes it was gone.”\n\n“I can’t cut it,” the San Francisco resident told the Chronicle in a recent interview. “If I cut it, I’ll probably be sent out of the country. I’ll be considered sort of not fit to live in the United States, so I’ll have to go back to Italy or something.”\n\nOf course, Columbus — born and raised in the United States, with Italian ancestry — was sarcastically referring to the Trump administration’s mass deportations plans.\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\nIn the seven-second cameo in the 1992 box office hit, the future president gives star [Macaulay Culkin](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/article\/Macaulay-Culkin-Reprises-Home-Alone-6705296.php) directions in New York’s famed Plaza Hotel, which Trump, then known only as a flamboyant Manhattan real-estate tycoon, owned at the time.\n\nColumbus’ original family comedy “[Home Alone](https:\/\/datebook.sfchronicle.com\/movies-tv\/library-of-congress-film-18547555?_gl=1*6kpj52*_gcl_au*NjQ5NzA0NTQwLjE3Mzc3NDEwODY.*_ga*MTk5NTUxNzc5Ny4xNzE1NjQxNTIz*_ga_56G0ZT3ZD0*MTc0NDYwNTQ4Mi4xNjcuMS4xNzQ0NjA2ODE3LjAuMC4w)” (1990) starred Culkin as Kevin McCallister, a 10-year-old who fends off home invaders after his parents accidentally leave him alone at Christmas. The movie, which cost \\$18 million to make and was filmed in Chicago, was the filmmaker’s first big hit as a director, pulling in more than \\$475 million.\n\nBefore beginning work on the San Francisco-shot “[Mrs. Doubtfire](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/movies\/article\/Mrs-Doubtfire-at-25-Is-it-the-best-Robin-12525580.php),” Columbus was tapped to direct the “Home Alone” sequel, which has Kevin parentless in the Big Apple. Columbus said Trump only agreed to let the production film at the Plaza if he could get some screen time.\n\nSan Francisco Chronicle Logo\n\nMake us a Preferred Source to get more of our news when you search.\n\n[Add Preferred Source](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=sfchronicle.com)\n\n“We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie,” Columbus told [Business Insider](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/home-alone-30-anniversary-chris-columbus-trump-cameo-2020-11) in 2020 in an article commemorating the film’s 30th anniversary.\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\nThree years later, Trump apparently got wind of Columbus’ quote, and posted on Truth Social in 2023 that Columbus was “begging” him to appear in the film.\n\n“I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it,” Trump wrote. “They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history! That little cameo took off like a rocket, and the movie was a big success, and still is, especially around Christmas time. People call me whenever it is aired. Now, however, 30 years later, Columbus (what was his real name?) put out a statement that I bullied myself into the movie. Nothing could be further from the truth. That cameo helped make the movie a success … Just another Hollywood guy from the past looking for a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself!”\n\nColumbus didn’t immediately respond to Trump’s post at the time, but now tells the Chronicle he had intended to cut the cameo, and wishes he had.\n\n![Chris Columbus on the red carpet before SFFilm Awards at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in December 2021. The director says Plaza Hotel owner Donald Trump only allowed him to use the location for “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” if the real estate tycoon was put in the movie. ]()\n\nChris Columbus on the red carpet before SFFilm Awards at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in December 2021. The director says Plaza Hotel owner Donald Trump only allowed him to use the location for “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” if the real estate tycoon was put in the movie.\n\nScott Strazzante\/S.F. Chronicle\n\n“We screened the film in Chicago, and when that moment came onscreen the audience went crazy,” Columbus recalled. “They cheered and they cheered and they thought it was hilarious. I think I know a lot about comedy, but I don’t, obviously, because I never thought that was going to be considered hilarious.\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\n“Years later, it’s become this curse. It’s become this thing that I wish it was not there. What’s going through this guy’s mind? He said I was lying. I’m not lying. He said I begged him to be in the movie, but there’s no world I would ever beg a non-actor to be in a movie. But we were desperate to get the Plaza Hotel.”\n\nColumbus paused for a moment before continuing.\n\n“But it’s there. It’s become an albatross for me. I just wish it was gone.”\n\nNevertheless, “Home Alone 2” was another smash hit, earning nearly \\$360 million against a \\$28 million budget.\n\nDatebook Picks\n\nColumbus would go on to have a rich and varied career as a director, including the first two [Harry Potter films](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/article\/chris-columbus-and-harry-potter-split-after-3-2769553.php), and producer, including Robert Eggers’ 2024 remake of the vampire classic “[Nosferatu](https:\/\/datebook.sfchronicle.com\/movies-tv\/robert-eggers-nosferatu-review-19986786?_gl=1*1pwekge*_gcl_au*NjQ5NzA0NTQwLjE3Mzc3NDEwODY.*_ga*MTk5NTUxNzc5Ny4xNzE1NjQxNTIz*_ga_56G0ZT3ZD0*MTc0NDYwNTQ4Mi4xNjcuMS4xNzQ0NjA3MTQyLjAuMC4w).”\n\nArticle continues below this ad\n\nHe is scheduled to be the subject of a tribute at the [68th San Francisco International Film Festival](https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/entertainment\/article\/sf-international-film-festival-20257823.php) on April 26.\n\n*Reach G. Allen Johnson:* [*ajohnson@sfchronicle.com*](mailto:ajohnson@sfchronicle.com)\n\nApril 14, 2025\n\n![Photo of G. Allen Johnson]()\n\nStaff Writer\n\nG. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.","meta_canonical":null}

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Meta Title	‘Home Alone 2’ director says Trump cameo has ‘become this curse’
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Boilerpipe Text	Actors Susan Anton, from left, Keith Carradine, Macaulay Culkin stand next to Donald Trump attend Fountain of Peace Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 5, 1991, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel, appeared with Culkin in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty San Francisco filmmaker Chris Columbus said Donald Trump’s cameo in “ Home Alone 2: Lost in New York ” more than 30 years ago has been “an albatross for me” and “wishes it was gone.” “I can’t cut it,” the San Francisco resident told the Chronicle in a recent interview. “If I cut it, I’ll probably be sent out of the country. I’ll be considered sort of not fit to live in the United States, so I’ll have to go back to Italy or something.” Of course, Columbus — born and raised in the United States, with Italian ancestry — was sarcastically referring to the Trump administration’s mass deportations plans. Article continues below this ad In the seven-second cameo in the 1992 box office hit, the future president gives star Macaulay Culkin directions in New York’s famed Plaza Hotel, which Trump, then known only as a flamboyant Manhattan real-estate tycoon, owned at the time. Columbus’ original family comedy “ Home Alone ” (1990) starred Culkin as Kevin McCallister, a 10-year-old who fends off home invaders after his parents accidentally leave him alone at Christmas. The movie, which cost $18 million to make and was filmed in Chicago, was the filmmaker’s first big hit as a director, pulling in more than $475 million. Before beginning work on the San Francisco-shot “ Mrs. Doubtfire ,” Columbus was tapped to direct the “Home Alone” sequel, which has Kevin parentless in the Big Apple. Columbus said Trump only agreed to let the production film at the Plaza if he could get some screen time. San Francisco Chronicle Logo Make us a Preferred Source to get more of our news when you search. Add Preferred Source “We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie,” Columbus told Business Insider in 2020 in an article commemorating the film’s 30th anniversary. Article continues below this ad Three years later, Trump apparently got wind of Columbus’ quote, and posted on Truth Social in 2023 that Columbus was “begging” him to appear in the film. “I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it,” Trump wrote. “They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history! That little cameo took off like a rocket, and the movie was a big success, and still is, especially around Christmas time. People call me whenever it is aired. Now, however, 30 years later, Columbus (what was his real name?) put out a statement that I bullied myself into the movie. Nothing could be further from the truth. That cameo helped make the movie a success … Just another Hollywood guy from the past looking for a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself!” Columbus didn’t immediately respond to Trump’s post at the time, but now tells the Chronicle he had intended to cut the cameo, and wishes he had. Chris Columbus on the red carpet before SFFilm Awards at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in December 2021. The director says Plaza Hotel owner Donald Trump only allowed him to use the location for “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” if the real estate tycoon was put in the movie. Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle “We screened the film in Chicago, and when that moment came onscreen the audience went crazy,” Columbus recalled. “They cheered and they cheered and they thought it was hilarious. I think I know a lot about comedy, but I don’t, obviously, because I never thought that was going to be considered hilarious. Article continues below this ad “Years later, it’s become this curse. It’s become this thing that I wish it was not there. What’s going through this guy’s mind? He said I was lying. I’m not lying. He said I begged him to be in the movie, but there’s no world I would ever beg a non-actor to be in a movie. But we were desperate to get the Plaza Hotel.” Columbus paused for a moment before continuing. “But it’s there. It’s become an albatross for me. I just wish it was gone.” Nevertheless, “Home Alone 2” was another smash hit, earning nearly $360 million against a $28 million budget. Datebook Picks Columbus would go on to have a rich and varied career as a director, including the first two Harry Potter films , and producer, including Robert Eggers’ 2024 remake of the vampire classic “ Nosferatu .” Article continues below this ad He is scheduled to be the subject of a tribute at the 68th San Francisco International Film Festival on April 26. Reach G. Allen Johnson: ajohnson@sfchronicle.com April 14, 2025 Staff Writer G. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.
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Allen Johnson](https://www.sfchronicle.com/author/g-allen-johnson/), Staff Writer April 14, 2025 ![Actors Susan Anton, from left, Keith Carradine, Macaulay Culkin stand next to Donald Trump attend Fountain of Peace Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 5, 1991, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel, appeared with Culkin in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” ]() Actors Susan Anton, from left, Keith Carradine, Macaulay Culkin stand next to Donald Trump attend Fountain of Peace Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 5, 1991, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel, appeared with Culkin in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty San Francisco filmmaker [Chris Columbus](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/sffilm-festival-chris-columbus-20230848.php) said [Donald Trump’s](https://www.sfchronicle.com/donald-trump/) cameo in “[Home Alone 2: Lost in New York](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/actor-home-alone-2-convicted-34-19487134.php)” more than 30 years ago has been “an albatross for me” and “wishes it was gone.” “I can’t cut it,” the San Francisco resident told the Chronicle in a recent interview. “If I cut it, I’ll probably be sent out of the country. I’ll be considered sort of not fit to live in the United States, so I’ll have to go back to Italy or something.” Of course, Columbus — born and raised in the United States, with Italian ancestry — was sarcastically referring to the Trump administration’s mass deportations plans. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the seven-second cameo in the 1992 box office hit, the future president gives star [Macaulay Culkin](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/Macaulay-Culkin-Reprises-Home-Alone-6705296.php) directions in New York’s famed Plaza Hotel, which Trump, then known only as a flamboyant Manhattan real-estate tycoon, owned at the time. Columbus’ original family comedy “[Home Alone](https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/library-of-congress-film-18547555?_gl=16kpj52_gcl_auNjQ5NzA0NTQwLjE3Mzc3NDEwODY._gaMTk5NTUxNzc5Ny4xNzE1NjQxNTIz_ga_56G0ZT3ZD0MTc0NDYwNTQ4Mi4xNjcuMS4xNzQ0NjA2ODE3LjAuMC4w)” (1990) starred Culkin as Kevin McCallister, a 10-year-old who fends off home invaders after his parents accidentally leave him alone at Christmas. The movie, which cost \$18 million to make and was filmed in Chicago, was the filmmaker’s first big hit as a director, pulling in more than \$475 million. Before beginning work on the San Francisco-shot “[Mrs. Doubtfire](https://www.sfchronicle.com/movies/article/Mrs-Doubtfire-at-25-Is-it-the-best-Robin-12525580.php),” Columbus was tapped to direct the “Home Alone” sequel, which has Kevin parentless in the Big Apple. Columbus said Trump only agreed to let the production film at the Plaza if he could get some screen time. San Francisco Chronicle Logo ### See more S.F. Chronicle on Google Make us a Preferred Source to get more of our news when you search. [Add Preferred Source](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=sfchronicle.com) “We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie,” Columbus told [Business Insider](https://www.businessinsider.com/home-alone-30-anniversary-chris-columbus-trump-cameo-2020-11) in 2020 in an article commemorating the film’s 30th anniversary. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Three years later, Trump apparently got wind of Columbus’ quote, and posted on Truth Social in 2023 that Columbus was “begging” him to appear in the film. “I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it,” Trump wrote. “They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history! That little cameo took off like a rocket, and the movie was a big success, and still is, especially around Christmas time. People call me whenever it is aired. Now, however, 30 years later, Columbus (what was his real name?) put out a statement that I bullied myself into the movie. Nothing could be further from the truth. That cameo helped make the movie a success … Just another Hollywood guy from the past looking for a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself!” Columbus didn’t immediately respond to Trump’s post at the time, but now tells the Chronicle he had intended to cut the cameo, and wishes he had. ![Chris Columbus on the red carpet before SFFilm Awards at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in December 2021. The director says Plaza Hotel owner Donald Trump only allowed him to use the location for “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” if the real estate tycoon was put in the movie. ]() Chris Columbus on the red carpet before SFFilm Awards at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in December 2021. The director says Plaza Hotel owner Donald Trump only allowed him to use the location for “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” if the real estate tycoon was put in the movie. Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle “We screened the film in Chicago, and when that moment came onscreen the audience went crazy,” Columbus recalled. “They cheered and they cheered and they thought it was hilarious. I think I know a lot about comedy, but I don’t, obviously, because I never thought that was going to be considered hilarious. Advertisement Article continues below this ad “Years later, it’s become this curse. It’s become this thing that I wish it was not there. What’s going through this guy’s mind? He said I was lying. I’m not lying. He said I begged him to be in the movie, but there’s no world I would ever beg a non-actor to be in a movie. But we were desperate to get the Plaza Hotel.” Columbus paused for a moment before continuing. “But it’s there. It’s become an albatross for me. I just wish it was gone.” Nevertheless, “Home Alone 2” was another smash hit, earning nearly \$360 million against a \$28 million budget. Datebook Picks [![The San Francisco Art Fair returns Thursday-Sunday, April 16-19, at Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion.]()](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-exhibits/article/san-francisco-art-fair-aapi-22196396.php) [Arts & Exhibits](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-exhibits/) [A major San Francisco art fair is back at Fort Mason. Here’s what to know](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-exhibits/article/san-francisco-art-fair-aapi-22196396.php) [![Braeden Harris as T.J., left, and Storm White as Jane in San Jose Stage Company’s “The Coast Starlight.”]()](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/theater/article/coast-starlight-san-jose-stage-22196544.php) [Theater](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/theater/) [‘The Coast Starlight’ is a Bay Area theater ride worth taking](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/theater/article/coast-starlight-san-jose-stage-22196544.php) [![Janelle James is scheduled to perform four shows at Cobb’s Comedy Club in San Francisco.]()](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/comedy/article/janelle-james-sf-22156395.php) Comedy [‘Abbott Elementary’ star returns to stand-up roots in San Francisco](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/comedy/article/janelle-james-sf-22156395.php) Columbus would go on to have a rich and varied career as a director, including the first two [Harry Potter films](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/chris-columbus-and-harry-potter-split-after-3-2769553.php), and producer, including Robert Eggers’ 2024 remake of the vampire classic “[Nosferatu](https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/robert-eggers-nosferatu-review-19986786?_gl=11pwekge_gcl_auNjQ5NzA0NTQwLjE3Mzc3NDEwODY._gaMTk5NTUxNzc5Ny4xNzE1NjQxNTIz_ga_56G0ZT3ZD0MTc0NDYwNTQ4Mi4xNjcuMS4xNzQ0NjA3MTQyLjAuMC4w).” Advertisement Article continues below this ad He is scheduled to be the subject of a tribute at the [68th San Francisco International Film Festival](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/sf-international-film-festival-20257823.php) on April 26. Reach G. Allen Johnson: [ajohnson@sfchronicle.com](mailto:ajohnson@sfchronicle.com) April 14, 2025 ![Photo of G. Allen Johnson]() [G. Allen Johnson](https://www.sfchronicle.com/author/g-allen-johnson/) Staff Writer G. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Most Popular 1\. [Ex-staffer says Eric Swalwell, candidate for California governor, sexually assaulted her](https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/eric-swalwell-allegations-22198271.php) 2\. [Trump fires entire San Francisco Presidio Trust board, all Biden appointees](https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/presidio-board-fired-trump-22198432.php) 3\. [The race for California governor was already a mess for Democrats. Now what?](https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/california-governor-democrats-swalwell-22200549.php) 4\. 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Readable Markdown	![Actors Susan Anton, from left, Keith Carradine, Macaulay Culkin stand next to Donald Trump attend Fountain of Peace Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 5, 1991, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel, appeared with Culkin in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” ]() Actors Susan Anton, from left, Keith Carradine, Macaulay Culkin stand next to Donald Trump attend Fountain of Peace Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 5, 1991, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel, appeared with Culkin in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty San Francisco filmmaker [Chris Columbus](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/sffilm-festival-chris-columbus-20230848.php) said [Donald Trump’s](https://www.sfchronicle.com/donald-trump/) cameo in “[Home Alone 2: Lost in New York](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/actor-home-alone-2-convicted-34-19487134.php)” more than 30 years ago has been “an albatross for me” and “wishes it was gone.” “I can’t cut it,” the San Francisco resident told the Chronicle in a recent interview. “If I cut it, I’ll probably be sent out of the country. I’ll be considered sort of not fit to live in the United States, so I’ll have to go back to Italy or something.” Of course, Columbus — born and raised in the United States, with Italian ancestry — was sarcastically referring to the Trump administration’s mass deportations plans. Article continues below this ad In the seven-second cameo in the 1992 box office hit, the future president gives star [Macaulay Culkin](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/Macaulay-Culkin-Reprises-Home-Alone-6705296.php) directions in New York’s famed Plaza Hotel, which Trump, then known only as a flamboyant Manhattan real-estate tycoon, owned at the time. Columbus’ original family comedy “[Home Alone](https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/library-of-congress-film-18547555?_gl=16kpj52_gcl_auNjQ5NzA0NTQwLjE3Mzc3NDEwODY._gaMTk5NTUxNzc5Ny4xNzE1NjQxNTIz_ga_56G0ZT3ZD0MTc0NDYwNTQ4Mi4xNjcuMS4xNzQ0NjA2ODE3LjAuMC4w)” (1990) starred Culkin as Kevin McCallister, a 10-year-old who fends off home invaders after his parents accidentally leave him alone at Christmas. The movie, which cost \$18 million to make and was filmed in Chicago, was the filmmaker’s first big hit as a director, pulling in more than \$475 million. Before beginning work on the San Francisco-shot “[Mrs. Doubtfire](https://www.sfchronicle.com/movies/article/Mrs-Doubtfire-at-25-Is-it-the-best-Robin-12525580.php),” Columbus was tapped to direct the “Home Alone” sequel, which has Kevin parentless in the Big Apple. Columbus said Trump only agreed to let the production film at the Plaza if he could get some screen time. San Francisco Chronicle Logo Make us a Preferred Source to get more of our news when you search. [Add Preferred Source](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=sfchronicle.com) “We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie,” Columbus told [Business Insider](https://www.businessinsider.com/home-alone-30-anniversary-chris-columbus-trump-cameo-2020-11) in 2020 in an article commemorating the film’s 30th anniversary. Article continues below this ad Three years later, Trump apparently got wind of Columbus’ quote, and posted on Truth Social in 2023 that Columbus was “begging” him to appear in the film. “I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it,” Trump wrote. “They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history! That little cameo took off like a rocket, and the movie was a big success, and still is, especially around Christmas time. People call me whenever it is aired. Now, however, 30 years later, Columbus (what was his real name?) put out a statement that I bullied myself into the movie. Nothing could be further from the truth. That cameo helped make the movie a success … Just another Hollywood guy from the past looking for a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself!” Columbus didn’t immediately respond to Trump’s post at the time, but now tells the Chronicle he had intended to cut the cameo, and wishes he had. ![Chris Columbus on the red carpet before SFFilm Awards at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in December 2021. The director says Plaza Hotel owner Donald Trump only allowed him to use the location for “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” if the real estate tycoon was put in the movie. ]() Chris Columbus on the red carpet before SFFilm Awards at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in December 2021. The director says Plaza Hotel owner Donald Trump only allowed him to use the location for “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” if the real estate tycoon was put in the movie. Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle “We screened the film in Chicago, and when that moment came onscreen the audience went crazy,” Columbus recalled. “They cheered and they cheered and they thought it was hilarious. I think I know a lot about comedy, but I don’t, obviously, because I never thought that was going to be considered hilarious. Article continues below this ad “Years later, it’s become this curse. It’s become this thing that I wish it was not there. What’s going through this guy’s mind? He said I was lying. I’m not lying. He said I begged him to be in the movie, but there’s no world I would ever beg a non-actor to be in a movie. But we were desperate to get the Plaza Hotel.” Columbus paused for a moment before continuing. “But it’s there. It’s become an albatross for me. I just wish it was gone.” Nevertheless, “Home Alone 2” was another smash hit, earning nearly \$360 million against a \$28 million budget. Datebook Picks Columbus would go on to have a rich and varied career as a director, including the first two [Harry Potter films](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/chris-columbus-and-harry-potter-split-after-3-2769553.php), and producer, including Robert Eggers’ 2024 remake of the vampire classic “[Nosferatu](https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/robert-eggers-nosferatu-review-19986786?_gl=11pwekge_gcl_auNjQ5NzA0NTQwLjE3Mzc3NDEwODY._gaMTk5NTUxNzc5Ny4xNzE1NjQxNTIz_ga_56G0ZT3ZD0MTc0NDYwNTQ4Mi4xNjcuMS4xNzQ0NjA3MTQyLjAuMC4w).” Article continues below this ad He is scheduled to be the subject of a tribute at the [68th San Francisco International Film Festival](https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/sf-international-film-festival-20257823.php) on April 26. Reach G. Allen Johnson: [ajohnson@sfchronicle.com](mailto:ajohnson@sfchronicle.com) April 14, 2025 ![Photo of G. Allen Johnson]() Staff Writer G. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.
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